The rise of antisemitism should not go ignored
For as long as I can remember, I have spent hours upon hours at my temple. It has become my second home in more ways than one, not only through my attendance to religious school from the age of 5, but through the memories of my last 16 years. I began as a student and have worked my way to assisting teachers with the next generation of children. But each year, I am more and more afraid to practice my beliefs and enter those rooms.
In October of 2018, 11 people were killed in a Pittsburgh synagogue. My local temple held a ceremony to honor those who were lost, and immediately security became part of every entrance, in fear that Thousand Oaks would be next. This security, something we all expected would be gone after only a few months, has now been present for over six years.
Each High Holiday service I have since attended has had more security presence than the last. Metal detectors are an addition for publicized events. Barricades now surround the synagogue, and many are unable to enter without a badge. So, if there has not been a rise of antisemitism and an increase of hatred towards the Jewish people, then why have I felt more unsafe every day?
Following the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel, there has been a drastic increase of antisemitism in the United States. Protests sprung up at universities in support of either side of the conflict, and while this was a way to exercise their First Amendment rights, there also seemed to be a rise in antisemitic actions. According to the Hillel International incident tracking of antisemitism on college campuses, 1,854 antisemitic incidents occurred in the 2023-24 school year. This is a large jump from the 290 reported incidents from the prior school year. According to an article written by the Los Angeles Times, Jewish UCLA students were prohibited entrance by protestors, where their complaint alleges a “Jew Exclusion Zone.” Jewish students and faculty were segregated and prevented from going to their classes, accessing the library and participating in campus social life. I believe that while each and every person has the right to assemble, there is an extent that it may not cross, and that is when a certain group of people is being attacked.
These campus protests have created another question on the colleges I plan on applying to. Protesting is something done across the country, but how will I know it has gone too far? To what extent will I no longer be safe walking to my classes or going to study in a library?
I have spent countless years in numerous grades, where the Holocaust unit was always approached with jokes from peers. When my religion is learned, it becomes a focus in the conversation, with stereotypes thrown around. Antisemitism is real, and it is something that should not be ignored and excused.
Within politics, there has been an eternal battle with jewish people, but with all of that put aside, it is clear that there has been a significant increase of antisemitism around the world. As someone who is proud to be Jewish, I should have no fear in expressing my religion and participating in holiday events. I have a strong belief that nobody, of any religion, of any race, of any gender, should feel terror in walking through a place that once felt the safest.
